This document provides information on adapting landscapes to climate change through ecological site descriptions and interpretive tools. It discusses accessing information on inventory and interpretations of soil properties, climate, dynamics, and processes. It also describes tools for developers, including an analytical framework, multiple site comparisons, and the ability to interact with models. Rules for ecological site development are presented, outlining general processes of shrub encroachment and soil degradation, their reversibility, mechanisms, recommended practices, indicators, and thresholds. An ecosystem dynamics interpretive tool is mentioned that uses a modern database representing 60% of land area and is expanding to other land uses.

1. ADAPTING LANDSCAPES TO
CLIMATE CHANGE
A KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR
ECOLOGICAL SITE INFORMATION

5. Access to Information
• Ecological Site Descriptions have 2 parts
• Inventory-soil properties, climate, dynamics,
processes
• Interpretations-products, services, values
1
8

6. Tabular information on different ecosystem services/resources concerns
2
4

8. Tools for Developers
Analytical framework
Multiple site comparisons
Ability to interact with models (CENTURY, RHEM)

9. RULE BASED ECOLOGICAL SITE DEVELOPMENT
General process: Shrub encroachment
Reversibility: Hysteretic, irreversible
Mechanism: Seed dispersal, fire suppression
Practice: Prescribed grazing (528), Prescribed Burning
(338)
Indicators: Fuel accumulation, Juvenile seedlings
Threshold: Seedlings > 0.5 m, > 10 y fire frequency
General process: Soil degradation
Reversibility: Hysteretic, irreversible
Mechanism: Excessive removal, Plant
mortality, Bare soil increase
Practice: Prescribed grazing (528)
Indicators: % Utilization, % Cover
Threshold: Utilization >60%, Bare soil >
30%
2
5

10. ECOSYSTEM DYNAMICS INTERPRETIVE TOOL
Modern database
Currently represents about 60% of contiguous land area
Expanding to include other land uses-cropland, riparian,
pasture